Up your work efficiency with these surprising ideas

Get More Done

Get More Done

It happens to everyone. You start the work day knowing full well what you have to finish by quitting time, but at 5 P.M., you haven’t achieved nearly as much as you’d planned. “Being productive is more than just checking off boxes on to-do lists,” says Heidi Hanna, PhD, author of The Sharp Solution. “It’s bringing our full and best energy to the time we have to do our work well.” While we can’t take tasks off your plate, these energizing tips will make you more efficient—and give you extra time to do the things you love.

1. Bring your work to a coffee shop.

1. Bring your work to a coffee shop.

And not because of the caffeine-packed java on offer. According to a study published in the December 2012 Journal of Consumer Research, moderate noise, such as the mid-level buzz in bustling coffee shops, enhances performance on creative tasks more than soft or loud ambient noise. Plus, being with the other patrons pumps up oxytocin, which decreases the stress hormones that cause mental blocks, says Dr. Hanna. And if that’s not enough, licensed psychotherapist and Cue Cards for Life author Christina Steinorth notes the scenery change limits distractions that are more likely to arise at home and the office.